The La Galaxy have not had any luck with VAR so far this season. In fact, Video Assistant Referee has annulled four goals for the Galaxy in eight games this season. This past weekend, the Angeleno club lost another home game, making three in a row, and this time it was against the New York Red Bulls.
Of course, VAR was used twice against the Galaxy in this past weekend’s game against the Red Bulls. Both were goals that were annulled by the video review determining that both plays had Galaxy players offsides. In the end, the Galaxy lost another heartbreaking game at home by a score of 3-2.
VAR on Ibrahimovic’s goal
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a victory goal in the second half for the Galaxy against the New York Red Bulls. The referee still decided to review the goal after it was called offsides by the linesman. After reviewing the video, the main official decided to keep the original call and annul the goal made by Ibrahimovic.
After the game, Galaxy goalkeeper David Bingham stated that they were robbed due to the VAR system. In the review of Ibrahimovic’s goal, the Swedish striker seemed to be clearly onsides. Ibrahimovic made this goal when it was crossed by French midfielder Romain Alessandrini.
The replay does not provide indisputable evidence that Ibrahimovic was offsides. In fact, it could have gone either way.
Despite the silver lining, the referee still decided to stay with the original call since there was no indisputable evidence. Many analysts are claiming that when there is indisputable evidence, the call cannot be overturned. Still, the Galaxy believe that Ibrahimovic’s annulled goal against the Red Bulls is quite a huge controversy.
VAR failed on the penalty called against the Galaxy
The Video Assistant Referee was used in minute nine of the game when French midfielder Romain Alessandrini scored. The assist came from striker Ola Kamara, as the goal was a fast response to New York’s goal in the seventh minute. No flag was raised to point out that there was an offsides call.
Still, the referee decided to look at the video review. After, the referee overturned the goal, and it was the right call. Kamara was offsides before breaking on the left side of the field and feeding the ball into the center where Alessandrini scored.
With two VAR determining the outcome of two goals made by the LA Galaxy, the referee was not very clear on the video review on a penalty called on Galaxy defender David Romney. It was in the last minutes of the game when the Red Bulls made an attack and fed the ball into the center.
Romney slid into the path of the ball and it appeared to hit his hand. The handball, which looked like the ball hit his body in the replay, was unintentional. The referee called the penalty without hesitation and claimed that VAR was being used to verify the call.
Goaltender David Bingham of the Galaxy stated that he asked the referee who was video reviewing it. No answers came but the call stood, even after the replay clearly showed the ball hit Romney’s body and not his hand.
In the end, the LA Galaxy have had some problems with defense and also losing home games. However, the circumstances of having four goals annulled in the last few games certainly made an impact. Again, a couple of those goals annulled by VAR were quite controversial according to the Galaxy, and that is why they are not fans of the system.